


magari (maybe, if only)

by ks__log



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, M/M, hhghgh this was originally a class assignement but i liked it so here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 22:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15253845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ks__log/pseuds/ks__log
Summary: nico stumbles into a flower shop.





	magari (maybe, if only)

**Author's Note:**

> please excuse the weird pacing of the dialogue, will edit sometime in the future!  
> it's been years since i've written anything PJO either, haha  
> these bois deserve some happiness

It’s a first all over again. The tingling feeling in his chest, close to bursting but fleeting at the same time. Usually, the sunlight was too bright for Nico, yet today...today was different. It floated over him in a comforting way, being here in this place. This small corner of the world had a fountain, a center to several cafes and shops. Everything was familiar, but not. The nostalgia flooded the place even though he had never  _ been _ there before. Though Nico was in the shade, he could not help but want to take in the sun.

It was a good day. He felt like a kid, just standing there and getting excited over nothing. Well, except it wasn’t really nothing. It was June 20th. It was  _ the  _ June 20th. How will he approach this? He was just a young man with clammy hands and a mind on overload. Time was still ticking, Nico willed himself to move and look around the area. Stowed away in a less crowded area, was a flower shop. A sign with the words “ _ Solace _ ” hung above the vines that covered the walls of the entrance.  It was still quite early in the morning, though the shop already had its sign flipped to open. It was just  _ beckoning  _ for him to come in, just like that, across the open area.

Nico had nothing to lose, so he made his way over. When he opened the door, a bell chimed above, signaling whoever was in the shop at this hour.

The flower shop was filled from floor to ceiling with all kinds of plants and flora. They looked well-kept, blooming in bursts of color in the times of their youth. In the mess of vines and leaves, one could see that the pots were actually organized by size and even by species name, elevated in different heights and rows. 

Nico was a good observer. Just that. 

It wasn’t hard to spot the florist, amidst the greenery his blond hair shone like the sun. Even when the man was turned away, it was clear that he was handsome. The sunlight complimented his tanned skin well. Nico could barely notice himself staring until a voice rang out through the shop.

“Hey! I’m Will, how can I help you?” So he also had a nice smile. The name tag read Will in scribbly handwriting. It was a name that fit the blond man perfectly, but Nico wasn’t one to judge. Wanting to do something than just stand there, he stepped closer to the small desk while looking at the flowers. After wandering into the flower shop by chance, he scrambled for an excuse to be in the place.

“Um. I’m visiting my mother, do you have anything I could…” Nico softly stumbled over his words, which made the florist beam even brighter (was that possible?). He immediately got to work, setting down whatever plant he was holding in favor for a pair of garden scissors. Without anything to do, Nico followed him like a duckling around the aisles, listening to Will list off possible flowers to put in a bouquet.

“So, Nico. Tell me about yourself,” the florist piped up from between the bushes, “What do you want to tell your mom?”

“I...haven’t seen her in a while. She’s a really kind woman.” 

“You must love her a lot.” The blond was reaching over to an area of red and pink flowers, hands ready to carefully pick them. Carnations, Nico identified. 

“Yeah, I do.” Nico still loved her dearly, even in death. She has been dead for...10 years at this point? He wasn’t sure. It would be nice to drop by her grave again, but he’d rather not. “Oh, um. Can you get the white carnations instead?”

Will seemed to understand. His eyes took on a kind and empathetic sort of sadness, dropping the stems of the pink flowers as he moved to the white ones nearby. “You seem to know what you’re doing,” His tone was quiet, knowing. 

“I got tips from a friend.” Nico just preferred  _ here  _ for his flowers, seeing as how he was in the area anyways. Though it has been years, he tiptoed around the topic of his mother’s death. It was still a sensitive wound, along with his sister who followed shortly.

“Why did you go here, then?” Will continued along the aisles, looking like he was deeply in thought. “Why not other places?”

“I was on the way there, your place was close enough.” The excuse sounded flimsy. Despite the casual tone, Nico knew that because of the occasion Wanting to somewhat lift the mood again, he thought for more things to say. “Plus, the florist is really cute. So.”

“Oh  _ you _ ,” Will laughed, and Nico could feel the knot inside him untangle a bit. Just that little fraction of time, of sound – he wished he found a way to make it last just a bit longer. Drawing his attention back to Will, he saw that the blond had a small grin on his face. That worked.

A small period of time passed, neither of them speaking. Nico peaked around to see that Will was a little stumped, pondering among the flowers (which make a very endearing sight). 

“So, red and white carnations for...well, you know what they mean. Hydrangeas, as gesture of heartfelt sincerity. Simple, but meaningful.” The florist wrapped up the flowers into a neat bouquet, pulling out a small pen and a card. “Feel free to write your own, I wouldn’t intrude.”

Gingerly accepting the stationery from Will, Nico pondered about what to put down. He doubted he was actually going to visit his mother’s grave, her resting place was all the way in Venice. It was not only far, but remote, and he’d rather not waste his time to go so far. Opting for a simple “ _ From your son, Nico” _ in cursive, he handed back the card and pen to Will. The florist wrapped a cord around the bouquet, and tied the card in.

“I– I don’t know if it’s fine but, I kind of,” Will looked like he was uncertain about something, milling over his own words. “Saw your card. You don’t have much to say?”

“Oh, yeah. Not much.”

“So your name is Nico.” That was the first time Nico had liked the way his name sounded that much. “It sounds nice.” Will smiled again, and another spot inside Nico’s heart bursted with light.

“Thank you,” was all Nico could mutter out in his star-eyed daze and flustered cheeks.

The silience stretched on for a few seconds, dust seemed to stop its swirling down through the rays of light as if time had stopped.

“I hope your mother likes the flowers.” Will had said.

“...Will I be seeing you any time soon, Nico?” The question hangs in the air. Nico is genuinely stumped, hearing that Will wanted to meet him again. Everyone before had always avoided or was scared of him, and yet…

“If I have time, yeah.” If he had any time at all. Maybe there was plenty left. “I’ll see you soon...Will.” Just maybe, he can have this just for now. Maybe he could be seeing Will again, even tomorrow, if he was lucky. The other man nodded in response.

Nico walked away from the shop with a bouquet that had no use in his hands. The flowers could be for someone else, hell- to anyone who didn’t know flower language it could just be a normal bouquet. 

He goes “home”.


End file.
